Andrew Quinn

Since January 1, 2014, Daveit has written and recorded a song every single day. Daveit will record his 365th song this year on December 31.

Derry's Daveit Ferris performs live on stage.

Puzzled as to what’s going on? Stay with it.

On New Year’s Day 2015, Daveit will release the first of his 365 songs recorded in 2014 and will proceed to release a new song everyday until the end of the year via his website daveitferris.com. Why? It’s pretty simple. Because he could. Daveit has christened his musical opus, ‘365 Sparks’.

In October 2013, Daveit was hours away from dying when he was diagnosed with supraglottitis.

Supraglottitis is a potentially life-threatening disease which can manifest itself as a blockage in the airway pipe.

Daveit Ferris.

“When I went to the hospital the doctor told me that had I left it for another few hours I would have been dead,” recalled Daveit.

“I’ve always been into music and I’ve always been full of great ideas but I never got around to doing them. When I was lying on that hospital bed last year, I just thought to myself, ‘the days of procrastinating are gone - it’s time to get up and actually do something’. That’s essentially how I ended up starting up this project,” said Daveit.

Daveit is from the ‘Top of the Hill’ area in the Waterside and still lives there today with his girlfriend Madlen.

“I recorded all of the songs in a bedroom in the house. I play all of the instruments, provide all of the vocals and wrote every song. It doesn’t get any more DIY than this,” he laughed.

As well as using different genres of music to express himself, Daveit also decided he wanted to write about as many different topics as possible.

There’s some comedy and light heartedness in some of Daveit songs but in other tracks he writes about his loving girlfriends and the time he lost his left eye as a result of retinoblastoma (cancer of the eye).

“I’ve used rock, pop, folk, rap and even trance music - I’d be lying if I didn’t say it’s been a lot of fun. I mean, I am a Derry man and I am rapping. A Derry man rapping - it’s insane.

“I’d say about 80 per cent of the songs are about my own personal experiences but I’ve also written a few funny ones too. For example, I’ve written a song about the 10 celebs (the song is called ‘Girls That Leave Me Smitten’) I fancy the most - it’s tacky but it was good fun.”

With little over two weeks until the conclusion of the first half of ‘365 Sparks’, Daveit will then set about releasing one of his 365 songs via his website everyday at 5pm from January 1 to December 31, 2015.

“I am really excited about putting my music out there. I have already had a bit of interested from the likes of the BBC and the music magazine ‘Rock Sound’ - both of which will be carrying some of my songs.

“I can’t wait to hear what people have to say about my songs. I am also looking into taking the songs and putting them to a live stage performance. I have a musical instrument companies interested in taking part so hopefully it’ll just be a matter of time.

“I am also looking for a band to help me play the songs on stage so if anyone is interested all they have to do is get in touch via the website.”

He added “I have enjoyed writing and recording the songs. It’s been amazing to express myself through so many songs and when I think about the time I spent in the hospital last month I think that doing this is one of the best decisions I have ever made.”